Weekly Video Game News – 08/25/2011
By Patrick Newman
Zuffa and Ubisoft Announce Resolution of Legal Issues
Zuffa and Ubisoft jointly announce the resolution of an ongoing disagreement between the companies. Ubisoft released for sale to the public a mixed martial arts video game involving street fighting entitled “Fighters Uncaged.”
On the packaging of the video game, text on the back cover invited players to “Become the ULTIMATE FIGHTING weapon!” Zuffa approached Ubisoft regarding the game and the use of “ULTIMATE FIGHTING” on the back cover. Zuffa owns all right, title and interest in and to the federally registered “ULTIMATE FIGHTING” trademark referenced in registration numbers 2,925,669-2,941,044; 2,706,754 and 3,004,865. Zuffa and Ubisoft note that the companies have no association or business relationship of any kind.
To resolve this disagreement between Zuffa and Ubisoft, Ubisoft has ceased selling the “Fighters Uncaged” video game with the use of “ULTIMATE FIGHTING” on the back cover, and has changed the packaging of “Fighters Uncaged” such that “ULTIMATE FIGHTING” does not appear anywhere on the packaging.
Twisted Metal Street Date
The long-anticipated Twisted Metal reboot for the PlayStation 3 has finally been assigned a release date – February 14th. In a video on the PlayStation blog, Eat Sleep Play’s cofounder David Jaffe confirmed the Valentine’s Day release. This comes on the heels of assurances that the latest shift in launch date would help the creative’s behind the project “polish our demented baby until it shines.” This will be the first Twisted Metal title since 2008’s Twisted Metal: Head On – Extra Twisted Edition, and it’s shaping up to be a fine successor to the classic games that inspired it.
Sonic CD Returns
Sega has announced that their platforming classic Sonic CD – perhaps the best regarded installment of the long running franchise – will find a home on Xbox Live, the PlayStation Network, and Steam, as well as mobile devices such as the Android later this year. The new port will feature the original Japanese soundtrack, and only minimally modified graphics.
ESPN on Xbox Live Preview
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Quantum Conundrum Announced
Quantum Conundrum, a first-person puzzle game with platform elements, has been slated by Airtight Games for a 2012 release. It will be available for download on Xbox Live Arcade, the PlayStation Network, and PC. The game will require its 12-year old protagonist to shift between multiple dimensions to track down her uncle, who has been trapped in another world.
Gay Marriage in Skyrim?
The soon-to-be classic Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is showing signs of social progressivism in it’s making. According to Peter Hines, the Vice President of PR at Skyrim developer Bethesda, “you can marry anyone”, alluding, of course, to the game’s inclusion of same-sex marriages. This announcement came yesterday via Twitter, and feels oddly appropriate given the uninhibited homosexual depictions present in many contemporary fantasy works, such as HBO’s oft-lauded drama Game of Thrones.
Uncharted 3 Special Edition Details
A video posted August 25th on the PlayStation Blog reveals what hungry gamers can expect from the upcoming Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception special edition (priced at $99.99 in the US). According to Nolan North, the voice of Uncharted’s Nathan Drake (who narrates the video), the game will be housed in an elaborate collector’s case with a Sideshow Collectibles 8 ½ inch Drake figure inside. It will also include velvet drawers with various small props and memorabilia from the game, a steel case for the game itself, as well as key art.
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Call of Duty, Kanye West & The Dropkick Murphys
The Call of Duty XP event – an early September fan convention promised by Activision to feature “AAA live entertainment,” has made good on its promise by featuring Kanye West as a closing act, and now the Dropkick Murphys as the centerpiece performance on opening night. All ticket holders for the event will return home with a free copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Hardened Edition when it finds release on November 8th, as well as a bag of exclusive collectibles.
Kinect Star Wars Delayed
The marriage of the beloved Star Wars franchise and Microsoft’s Kinect software has been put on hold. According to a LucasArts representative, “Microsoft and LucasArts have elected to move the launch of Kinect Star Wars beyond holiday 2011 to ensure the full potential of this title is realized.” The game, which was to be set primarily during the events of Episode II: Attack of the Clones, would allow players to utilize the Kinect motion-sensing technology to wield force powers and swing lightsabers. A more accurate estimate of Kinect Star Wars’ final release is yet to be confirmed.
Portal Short Film
A short film by Los Angeles filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg, based on Valve’s Portal series, has been taking the internet by storm this past week, as it proves the potential for the game franchise to extend into other artistic mediums. Debuted originally during 2011’s Comic-Con, the effort expended into making a truly authentic, cinematic Portal experience is evident from the 7-minute video, available now on YouTube.
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning – GamesCom 2011 Trailer
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